Travelling the world one vegan meal at a time

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Maybe it’s because I did a lot of cycling today (and it was so windy in London so my thighs were working extra hard) but I’ve been craving olives all day.

Olives are my popcorn. I could, and do, eat them by the handful. Black and wizened or fat, green olives, as large and acidic as unripe apples.

But eating olives out of the jar is a really unappealing habit (or so I’m told) so this Saturday evening, with some free time, I made an olive tapenade (minus anchovies!) and spread it on pastry.

It’s baking in the oven and the whole house smells delicious. Sam keeps wandering in and poking his head round the door to ask if it’s ready yet (and to check I haven’t licked the bowl I made the tapenade in clean). He’s thoughtful like that.

Update: tart was fabulous, especially with the sweet peppers and salty olive combo. It’s also so quick to make, and great with a simple side salad.

Hope you’re all having a lovely Saturday!

Tapenade

Ingredients

A cup of green or black olives, pitted

Two cloves of garlic

A squeeze of lemon juice

A glug of oil

Half a red chilli

Method

Blitz!

Tart

Ingredients

Roll vegan pastry

Four mixed peppers

One red onion

Olive oil

Balsamic vinagar

Salt and pepper

Method

Slice peppers and onion and put in baking tray. Cover with olive oil and a drizzle of balsamic. Season. Cook for 20 minutes or until roasted.

Roll out pastry to fit the tray. Cover tray with light layer of olive oil and blind bake for ten minutes at 180 degrees.

Spread tart with tapenade and pop in the oven for another few minutes.

Scatter the vegetables over the tart and cook for another ten minutes or until crispy.

Add some crisps and vegan sour cream to turn your lunch into a party snack

Yesterday I mentioned the gnarly sweet potato that I found in the recesses of a cupboard. It’s been there for weeks, possibly months, but my boyfriend reassures me gloomily that it’s still edible.

My subconscious probably hoped that if I left it there long enough it would sprout and make baby-sweet potatoes. Then I realised it would just go mouldy. I decided to take a forward step.

I resolved to cook it, hack off it’s weird growths and try to make a tasty lunch.

Sweet potato wedges with guacamole and salsa (serves 2)

Ingredients

One sweet potato

Avocado

Red onion, chopped finely

Juice of one lime (or from a bottle)

Two fresh tomatoes

Handful of fresh coriander

One green chilli, sliced finely

Salt and pepper-to season

Method

Slice the sweet potato into wedge shaped pieces and them on a tray, drizzled with oil (rapeseed works best, but Value sunflower is also fine). Grind some salt and pepper over the top and place in a hot oven (180 degrees) for about 45 minutes or until tender.

While the potato is cooking, peel and chop the red onion and halve it. Put half on one bowl. In this bowl, add the avocado, half the chilli, half the chopped coriander, a generous squeeze of lime and more seasoning. Mash together, so it’s chunky, but not pureed.

In another bowl, finely chop the tomatoes and add the remaining onions. Squeeze the rest of the lime in, the rest of the coriander, half the chilli, season and then mix it all together.

Your potato wedges will be ready when they are slightly browned and crisp. Take them out of the oven and serve with the guac and salsa.